1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image processing, and more particularly, relates to a super image resolution processing technique by which two or more digitized images are used to create a new image with superior resolution.
2. Description of Related Art
Image processing and image processing techniques have been known for many years. Images can be manipulated by computers or other electronic devices to increase the brightness, contrast, even resolution of any digital image. These image processing systems are used to manipulate photos, and other images found in the electronic world. Many of these conventional image processing systems utilize a two-dimensional prediction scheme for prediction coding of still pictures. Generally speaking in this type of scheme, the value of one pixel on a scanning line is predicted on the basis of the value of the several pixels immediately preceding the one pixel. In this process a predicted error signal is quantized and instead of the quantized value of the predicted error itself, a quantized number corresponding to the quantized value of the predicted error is transmitted after being subjected to variable-length coding. Generally, in prior art two-dimensional systems still picture data is obtained by scanning and storing in a frame buffer in the format of compressed still picture data, the pixel data for the first pixel on each line is stored in the frame buffer as an uncoded true value.
In other prior art modem digital imaging techniques, analog video signals are sampled and stored as digital data for subsequent reproduction on a cathode ray tube or other display. These imaging techniques display such images with as high resolution as possible and as little distortion as possible. Generally, these cathode ray tubes use a fluorescent screen that are irradiated by three electron beams to illuminate respective blue, green and red phosphors distributed in small units on the screen. The displayed image is considered a congregation of such points, i.e. pixels. Therefore, in the prior art there are many different ways of image processing with the use of computers.
Prior art image resolution systems image quality is affected by distance, the orientation of the object to the camera, the environmental conditions, and the quality of the camera taking the initial image. Very often it is impractical to overcome these problems with a better camera, a better vantage point or changes in conditions. Therefore, the use of image processing software is used to make a final image of higher quality based on source images of the same object. The prior art has shown solutions for both spatial and gray scale resolution to show favorable improvement. Generally, any set of digitized images of generally the same area can be processed. However, prior art techniques do show drawbacks and limitations. Most of the current prior art image processing techniques use codes that are not optimized for speed and generally do not perform a satisfactory image resolution on an image, with respect to the contrast and detail necessary for consumers and computer users.
Furthermore, other prior art methods such as JPEG and MPEG coding are used as compression modules to compress images to reduce the size of an image to allow for easier transfer of a file across wireless or wire a network. The use of prior art resolution techniques is generally used separately and independent from the MPEG and JPEG compression methods.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an improved image resolution technique that will enhance the resolution of an image in a shorter time while also vastly improving the resolution of two or more digitized images.